A Word From Our Chairman…

Hello colleagues.

For me, 2015 started up like a big jet engine. On 5th January there was the low, slow growl of the turbines starting to spin and each day since then the volume and pitch have edged up. As I write, I have completed most of my planning for quarter one. I like to try and get a sense of the “big things” that I am facing – and this year I guess I am blessed with quite a few big things! I want to share what the list holds to give some perspective to my message. Here is my personal list.

Be available to my family in 2015.

Meditate, exercise and try hard to stay healthy in mind and body (not something I did particularly well in 2014).

Develop myself, with research and through community engagement such as the SAODN corners.

Deliver to three large client projects continuing from last year in the areas of strategy, transformation and executive coherence.

Deliver to two smaller client projects (including a trip to Kenya – Yay).

Deliver to two volunteer clients – I have enrolled as a Partner for Possibility at a school in Tembisa, and I have volunteered at my children’s school to start a “Connect Committee” that attempts to improve the linkages between Parents and the School.

Attend to my Chairman responsibilities at the South African Organisation Development Network.

That’s most of the “what I must do” list. I have also been challenged to think about another kind of “what”. Early in January I listened to Professor Nick Binedell reflect on his feeling that this is a time similar to the 80’s – a time when a generation is being called to bring forth a better life for all. A time when what is false must be rejected, and what is true must be upheld. I responded to Professor Binedell’s reflection in a strange way. Perhaps that is because Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lusufi had just spoken. MEC Lusufi is compelling. He speaks forthrightly about the challenges in Gauteng education and bravely about his willingness to address them. In fact, there is some evidence that he is not “all talk”. On the back of the MEC’s emphatic rejection of the corruption and nepotism that chokes our potential as a nation, Nick Binnedell repeated his mantra that “none of us go anywhere unless we all go somewhere” – and repeated his willingness to return to the activism of the 80’s.

So I am calling myself out on a few issues. While I know that we have a lot to do in education I need to get out from what Brand Pretorius last night called the “walls of my organisation”. I need to be active – and so I will try to be a good partner to an underperforming school. I will also be more vocal this year about those sham, bogus, false leaders that stain the beautiful landscape of South Africa and of Africa. I despise those few who privately feast on the nation’s resources. They corrupt efforts to build a better South Africa for all.

As 2015 begins, I am inspired by the SAODN regional convenors whose voluntary efforts create a safe and generative OD community. I am inspired by the good practitioners who are working in non-profit organisations across Africa, and by the good practitioners working in the for-profit and government sectors. I continue to be inspired by Dr Louise van Rhyn and her team whose work in education has now reached just over 1% of the 2000 underperforming schools in South Africa and is changing our future one school at a time. I am inspired by the many leaders in the local, regional and national government leaders who are not corrupted and who are working to create a better future for all. I am inspired by every participant in the Organisation Development “project”. Thank you for choosing to do this work for another year.

You inspire me to make sure that I complete 2015 with a sense that I was active. I want to be a part of a more effective and more healthy South Africa. I will take on my to-do list with that in mind. As the Organisation Development Community of South Africa, I know that each one of you is involved in the fabric of the nation – at the frontline of all organisational life. Good luck this year. Take care of yourselves and of each other. Be regular participants at your regional OD Corners – and please hold me to account on these few commitments I made here.

Craig Yeatman
Chairman: SAODN

Top

Book Now! – February’s Regional Corner events…

Cape Town: “OD and Applied Improvisation” on 12 February 2015
When people are faced with uncertainty, diversity and change or if they need to innovate, collaborate and lead in the moment, they have to IMPROVISE!
Hear from Burgert Kirsten, Jason Delplanque and Ester Kruger how to use improvisation skills in the work place to drive engagement and enthusiasm, build better rapport with customers, help teams get along better and bolster innovation to stay at the cutting edge of your industry!

Durban: “Workplace Kindergarten – stories, pictures and playfulness in the workplace.” on 5 February 2015
Is there a place for “kindergarten” in the workplace – serious? What would happen if the workplace connected with “childlikeness”? Would employees be more engaged, more connected and more productive?
Join us to explore these and other questions with Mike Ivey.

Gauteng: “Moving from Data to Wisdom: Simplicity and/or Complexity.” on 10 February 2015
Dumisani Ntombela, Head of Academics for WorldsView Academy will facilitate an exploration which will advance the debate on the Knowledge Management discourse. Looking at data, information, knowledge and wisdom, you will have the opportunity to produce your own analysis of the four concepts and how they influence and impact on your OD work.

Flourish! Is Back!

The fourth annual conference of the SAODN is taking place on the 24th and 25th August 2015 in Gauteng.

We would like to invite anyone interested in volunteering to be a part of the conference design and execution team to connect with SAODN Learning Director, Kyra Wainstein.

For more information on Flourish! and to find out about past conferences, please visit the website and engage with us on LinkedIn and Twitter
We are looking for individuals with skills across the board from budgeting and administration to collaborator coaching and design advisory.
Not sure if you want to be a part of the volunteer committee? Take a look at some of the feedback after Flourish! 2014

“Flourish! is no ordinary talking heads conference; it is an interactive experience, connecting practitioners with each other, and with emergent thinking and approaches. This year’s theme of partnering purpose, people, and performance led us to the “People with a purpose perform” realisation. I encourage anyone involved in getting people to flourish in the workplace to get in the room in 2015” – Jennifer Taylor (Transformation Head FNB South Africa)
“Fantastic! Worth every second. Thanks to the team you are all awesome” – Mike Truelock (Organisational Development & Learning & Development Manager at Sappi Southern Africa)
“Just spent 2 days immersed with global and local experts sharing creative results driven approaches and case studies with an amazing, talented, wise and passionate group of collaborators. From CEOs, engineers, actuaries and OD practitioners – mind blowing” – Debbie Craig (Owner, Catalyst Consulting and World Alive)
“It was my third Flourish this year, and (in my opinion) the best one yet! Thank you to everyone who made it such a special event” – Sonja Blignaut (Independent Consultant, Coach and Ideator)

How can you not be a part of the dynamic team that makes this annual conference a reality?
Contact us today and sign up before the 17th of February 2015 for an incredible and rewarding journey!

Our New Team Of Regional Convenors…

We are very excited to introduce you to 2015’s team of Regional Convenors, which includes three new members, namely: Mia Blom, Holly Glaeser and Jen Taylor.

We would also like to thank the 2014 convening team: Candice Hankey, Linda Roos, Janet du Preez, Davine Thaw and Cristy Leask – for their dedication and passion in doing this work and, whilst we were sad to see them go, we wish Candice and Cristy all the best going forward!

A Little More About Our Convening Team…

Top

Mia Blom – New to the Cape Town Team

Current occupation (day job):

HR Manager at Amdec. Regionally-based in Cape Town but with international offices.

Who or what inspires you in the OD field?

I love the constant possibility for growth and improvement.

What are you known for professionally? What do you have a knack for?

Simplifying by thinking smarter! There always HAS to be a better way!

What are you most passionate about professionally? What most excites you about your work & the contribution you can make?

Being able to make a difference in someone’s life; no matter how small, which leaves them feeling better about themselves. Beautiful snowball effect. Happy, engaged employees have a positive impact on their colleagues and personal lives.

Where can we find you when you’re not working? What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend or a Sunday afternoon?

Entertaining or sharing great food and wine with friends!

How long have you been doing what you do?

I started as an Assistant HR Officer for Sasol in 1998.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Definitely my beautiful two children.

Top

Holly Glaeser – New to the KZN Team!

Current occupation (day job):

Senior Associate: People and Change at Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC)

Who or what inspires you in the OD field?

I believe that employee engagement is at the heart of Organisational Development and that if this can be achieved successfully, a large part of the battle has already been won. From a critical perspective, I am always cognisant of the motivation behind any small or large scale organisational change initiative and the reality is that these are nearly exclusively to the benefit of the employer whereas employee engagement initiatives serve to ensure employees derive meaning from their work with the spin-off being that they are willing to expend more discretionary effort in the workplace i.e. a win-win situation. So, in short, I am inspired by the ability to help employees create/find meaning in their work.

What are you known for professionally? What do you have a knack for?

This is quite a difficult one to answer as I have dabbled in quite diverse areas however, if I had to choose, it would likely be Assessment and Development Centres. During my employment with eThekwini Municipality, I was responsible for the insourcing of the psychometric and occupational assessment function which included in-depth research, legislation and case study reviews, ethical considerations as well as the practicalities of implementing an assessment centre. Apart from the subject matter knowledge and experience gained through this process, it awakened my passion and curiosity for business process re-engineering (BPR) and the assessment of synergies that need to exist between relevant business processes.

What path brought you here?

Following the completion of my Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology, I pursued an internship at eThekwini Municipality as part of the criteria for registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Shortly after completing my internship, I assumed the role of Manager: Research and Organisational Diagnostics within Corporate Human Resources. I was fortunate to gain a wealth of experience in diverse areas such as inter alia: Human Capital Analytics, Human Resources Strategy, Assessment and Development Centres, Communication and Change Management, Organisational Design and Performance Management Systems. Having worked within the public sector for over four years, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and gain experience in the private sector. In July 2014, I joined PwC as a Senior Associate within the People and Change competency and am excited to continue learning and growing within such a dynamic space.

What are you most passionate about professionally? What most excites you about your work & the contribution you can make?

Within the field of Organisational Development, I am passionate about Talent Management, especially within the South African context in which organisations are dealing with age, race, class and educational diversity. I think that businesses have a unique and exciting challenge in ensuring that they are equipped with the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time and that this situation is sustainable in the long term.

Where can we find you when you’re not working? What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend or a Sunday afternoon?

When I am not working, I like to remain as active as possible by playing hockey, doing trail runs or even just riding a bicycle on the beachfront (basically anything that doesn’t require looking at a screen).

Any non-profits you love, & why?

I have so much admiration for the people working for and with the Animal Anti-Cruelty League. Society needs more people with such selflessness. Mahatma Gandhi said that “The greatness of a society and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.” One of my goals this year is to use my knowledge and experience in strategy and business process reengineering, to establish a non-profit organisation that adopts an “out-of the box” approach to helping stray/abused animals by connecting various role players in new and creative ways.

Any awards or medals, or even medallions?

In 2011, I won a silver medal at the Kickboxing South African Championships however I have since hung up my gloves.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Without a doubt, this would have to be coffee. I echo the sentiments of David Letterman: “If it wasn’t for the coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.”

Top

Janet du Preez – Gauteng

Current occupation (day job):

Managing Director Tools of Greatness & Swift Office Supplies

Who or what inspires you in the OD field?

The vast scope that exists to enable greatness, to help leaders create organisations that truly serve all their stakeholders.

What are you known for professionally? What do you have a knack for?

Design and facilitation of highly engaging development processes

What path brought you here?

In my BSC Nursing degree I learned to understand and strategically manage dynamic systems with intentional thought, care and academic rigour. Specialising in psych taught me about the importance of the transformational milieu and to understand people. Experience working in numerous organisational environments and sectors, including small business and corporate, government and NPO gave me a broad-based understanding of the organisational landscape and the challenges inherent in enabling them to thrive.

What are you most passionate about professionally? What most excites you about your work & the contribution you can make?

I love seeing Leaders embrace and implement the principles which increase their ability to create fabulous organisations.

What are you passionate about personally? What do you really enjoy? What can’t you stop talking about?

I really love my work which is just as well since it is very absorbing and I have a wonderful family who bring me great joy.

Where can we find you when you’re not working? What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend or a Sunday afternoon?

Not working? My family will tell you that never happens. However, I am looking forward to creating the opportunity later this year to travel and to start riding horses again.

How long have you been doing what you do?

My consulting business first started to generate some reasonable income in 2010.

Any volunteer activities you’re crazy about?

I absolutely love my church where I work with teens and get to share my knowledge and skills to assist the leaders in developing their strategy to positively impact thousands of under 20s in our community.

I also do a lot of work with the Rising Star Awards, speaking at their events and assisting with the judging process in the annual awards. I so enjoy spending time with these young and inspiring leaders.

Any non-profits you love, & why?

I serve on the board and chair the OD sub-committee of Cotlands and am very passionate about their amazing OD story. They are now completely committed to scaling a solution to the millions of children who start school without any foundation for formal education. It has been so exciting to be involved with the development and testing of their model, the re-design of the organisation, the re-focusing of their governance structures and the gradual realisation that they have the potential to transform our nation through ensuring that the children they saved from the HIV/ AIDS epidemic can look forward to a future filled with possibility.

Any awards or medals, or even medallions?

A few when I was a student but my greatest reward is hearing stories of how I have been able to add value to people’s lives.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Nothing would be impossible. BUT, losing my family would be devastating and I would find it very hard to stop building my business. The demands of doing so have made me pretty selective about what I do, so everything is pretty important in my life.

Top

Jen Taylor – New to the Gauteng Team

Current occupation (day job):

Called Transformation Head; actually working as Senior Leadership Development Specialist (it’s complicated in corporate)!

Who or what inspires you in the OD field?

I believe people are whole, complete, and deeply resourceful. Something magical happens when someone (re)discovers their own resourcefulness, and applies their insights and solutions in their lives.

What are you known for professionally? What do you have a knack for?

Connecting people, getting things done, endless enthusiasm, seeing the possibilities and the silver lining in ANY cloud (it can be annoying)!

What are you most passionate about professionally? What most excites you about your work & the contribution you can make?

I’m curious about our innate strengths, what sparks and motivates us, and connecting how we show up with the impact we have in all our contexts. I believe small, incremental, repeatable steps transform how we show up. Transformed behaviour = transformed results. Every time.

I have a strong belief in paying forward, and making a positive contribution in all the communities I belong to.

What are you passionate about personally? What do you really enjoy? What can’t you stop talking about?

Family – especially our 5-year old daughter, who is a joy and a delight, and my wonderful, supportive and encouraging husband. We’ve been together 16 years.

Where can we find you when you’re not working? What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend or a Sunday afternoon?

Reading a novel or watching a movie, curled up in an armchair, with some coffee and biscuits and/or good dark chocolate.

Any non-profits you love, & why?

Symphonia for South Africa and their Partners for Possibility Programme. It turns leadership development on its head, gets leaders out into the real world, and is creating real, tangible, exciting possibilities in our (broken) education system

Top

Linda Roos – Cape Town

Current occupation (day job):

Head of HR at ooba

What are you known for professionally? What do you have a knack for?

I have been described as someone who has a strong ability to grow and empower others. I also tend to show up calm and logical, which I think is why I have a knack for creating sense from chaos. I never sweat the small stuff. I am not sure what I am professionally known for. Perhaps my ability to build strong and lasting relationships?

Where can we find you when you’re not working? What’s your favourite way to spend a weekend or a Sunday afternoon?

At home with my family, trawling the shops or listening to very loud music in front of a fire with a glass of wine and a magazine.

How long have you been doing what you do?

I have been working in HR for close to 14 years but began transitioning to OD roughly five years ago.

Any volunteer activities you’re crazy about?

The SAODN, of course!

Any non-profits you love, & why?

I serve on the Board of a non-profit organisation called Life Choices. I love them for the selflessness and dedication of the people who do the work and for the difference they are making in Cape Town’s poorest communities.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Music, wine and biltong. In that order!

Top

SAODN Board Opportunities…

Keen To Join The SAODN’S Board?

In December, we bid a sad farewell to Karen-Levy Strauss who, from inception of the new SAODN Board in 2012, played an invaluable role in nurturing the organisation’s success.

In addition to Karen’s vacant role, we have two other highly challenging and rewarding opportunities, namely: Director – Partnerships Portfolio and Director – Special Projects Portfolio.

If you are interested in finding out more about these opportunities, please contact Renita September septemberr@ccl.org

Top

Calling All Facilitators……

Learn experiential techniques, activities, tools and processes that will put the ‘wow’ into your facilitation!

It has become widely accepted that the more engaged learners are in what they’re learning, the better the learning will stick and the more chance there is of that A-ha moment, which results in behaviour change.

Learn to Lead has used experiential learning as a learning methodology ever since its inception in 2004. Over the years, Learn to Lead has gathered hundreds of facilitation activities, games, processes and experiential learning techniques. These have been gathered through a process of experimentation, our own creativity, attending facilitation experiential-learning workshops, reading and finally through attending the NASAGA (National American Simulation and Gaming Association) conferences 2009, 2011, 2013. Trainer’s EDGE has taken the best of these, and aims to share them with other facilitators.

Graphic Facilitation Training For Beginners!

12th – 13th March 2015, Cape Town

A two-day introductory course for facilitators, OD practitioners, managers and team leaders.

What is graphic facilitation?

Graphic facilitation is blend of live drawing and facilitation methodologies used in planning, problem solving, learning, goal-setting and team processes. It is a practice that will enhance your ability to create alignment in a group, make complex issues understandable, improve systems thinking, and stimulate participation and dialogue.